X-member vehicle frame



Jan. 21, 1958 I A. G. SCHILBERGY 2,

' X-MEMBER VEHICLE FRAME Filed Jan. 10, 1955 Hal.

IN V EN TOR.

Arnold G- .Schilberg United States Patent X-MEMBER VEHICLE FRAME Arnold G. Schilberg, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application January 10, 1955, Serial No. 480,771

4 Claims. (Cl. 280-106) This invention relates to X-member frames for vehicles and the like, and more particularly to a method of constructing I-bearns for such frames.

The structure of vehicle frames is often such that the I-beams which make up the X-members are not uniform in dimension throughout. For example, at the central portion of the X-member, the flanges must be bent out wardly, and the width of the web joining these flanges must of necessity be increased. In addition, the outer ends of the I-beams must often be bent so that the proper juncture can be made with the side rails of the frame.

Heretofore, in fabricating I-beams for X-member frames, a great amount of metal has been wasted, particularly in forming the web section of one piece. Due to the contour variations necessary throughout the length of the web, there has been a substantial waste of metal when a number of webs were stamped out of a single sheet of metal.

The present invention is based on the discovery that the web members for an X-frame I-beam may be constructed in sections which are welded to the I-beam flanges but not secured to each other. A number of similar web sections are stamped out of one sheet of metal, resulting in a substantial reduction of metal scrapped. The time necessary to fabricate such a frame is substantially reduced, since the web sections are not welded or otherwise secured together.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a vehicle frame in which the X-members are constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the I-beams utilized in the X-portion of the frame;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the I-beam taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an I-beam with a section removed for passage of an exhaust pipe.

As shown in the drawing, the invention is embodied in an X-member type automobile frame 1 having a pair of spaced parallel side rails 2 and 3 of suitable construction, and an X-member 4 disposed between the rails. X-memher 4 comprises four I-beam arm members 5 which converge inwardly to the center of frame 1 and are each secured at their inner ends to a pair of vertically spaced parallel plates 6 in any suitable way. I-beams 5 diverge outwardly and are secured to side rails 2 and 3.

Each I-beam member 5 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending spaced parallel flanges 7 coextensive with and joined by a plurality of web sections 8, 9 and 10 which are perpendicular thereto. Web sections 8, 9 and 10 are secured to the upper and lower flanges 7 by suitable welds As can best be seen in Fig. 2, flanges 7 are each made up of a single piece of metal of substantially uniform f atented Jan. 21 1 958 ICE thickness which is straight in the central portion and curved on each end for securing I-beams 5 to side rails 2 and 3 at their outer ends and to center plates 6 at their inner ends. The contour of the longitudinal section of flanges 7 may be produced by a press or other suitable means.

The web portion of each I-beam arm 5 is not constructed of one piece, but is instead made up of the sections 8, 9 and 10 referred to above. The number of sections in any single I-beam 5 may vary, but for purposes of simplicity the drawing shows three.

Web section 8 is shown as having an outer end of lesser height than the inner end and the latter end is of generally forked shape to provide a cutout 12 for passage of a drive shaft through the center of the structure. Intermediate web section 9 is shown as being rectangular, and outer section 10 is curved upwardly to conform to the side rail 2.

It has been discovered that the mating edges of adjacent web sections need not be welded or secured to each other in any way. The web sections are welded to flanges 7 in a manner to leave a minimum space 13 between each web section. With this construction, it has been found that the I-beam structure is substantially as strong as the conventional I-beam with a web member composed of a single piece.

Since the web need not extend unbroken for the entire length of the flanges it has been discovered that, if there are a sufiicient number of sections, one section may be eliminated entirely to provide for rearward passage of the vehicles exhaust pipe 14 between a web section 15 and a web section 16 disposed between flanges 7 within the side rail 2. This construction, which is shown in Fig. 4, allows the exhaust pipe to be disposed higher oi the ground and reduces the danger of it being damaged by rocks or other large objects which the vehicle may pass over.

In the manufacture of I-beams 5, each group of web sections 8, 9 and 10 is stamped out of a different metal plate. This is accomplished by any suitable means. A number of straight intermediate sections 9 are formed from one plate, while a number of each of the curved central and outer end portions 8 and 10, respectively, are stamped from separate plates. In this way, similar sections are stamped or cut from the same plate, thereby providing a minimum clearance between adjacent sections to be stamped, and thus a minimum amount of waste metal therebetween. Similar web sections for a number of I-beams may be formed at the same time.

The proper web sections are then placed between the upper and lower flanges to which they conform and are welded thereto with the respective web sections disposed in spaced relationship to each other.

Under the present invention, the manufacture of I-beams for X-member vehicle frames is simplified, and the reduction in the amount of metal scrapped is substantial. When it is realized that this type of frame is utilized in hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year, the savings become highly significant.

In addition, the forming of web members in independent sections has substantially decreased the time necessary in fabricating the I-beams, since no welds are needed between adjacent web sections.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

1 claim:

1. In an X-member of a vehicle frame of the I-beam type, upper and lower spaced parallel flanges of contoured longitudinal section, a plurality of independent web sections disposed in spaced end-to-end relationship and extending perpendicularly between said flanges, and welds shape at the inner end to provide for the passage ofa vehicle driveshaft therethrough, at least one' intermediate web portion having one end in-spaced end-to-end relationship with said inner webportion, and an-outer web portion of generally upwardly curved 'shape and-positione'd in spaced end-to-endrela'tionship with an inter-mediate w'eb portion, and upper and-lower flange members welded' to the upperand lower edges of said web portions =resp'ectively, said inner, intermediate and outer web-fpor tions being independent of oneanother to provide forseparate forming of the sections to difierent shapes without waste of metal.

3. In a vehicle frame, anX-member-composed'of a plurality of I-bearns which converge at their inner ends and are secured to spaced parallel plates and diverge at their outer ends and are secured to the respective side rails of the frame, the I-beam construction of said X-member comprising, an inner web portion of generally forked shape at the inner end to provide for the passageofavehicle drive shaft therethrough, at least one intermediate web portion having one end in spaced end-to-end relationship with said inner web portion, an outer web portion-of generally upwardly curved shape and positioned inspaced .end-to-end relationship with said intermediate web portion, an upper flange of substantially uniform thickness and welded to and coextensive with the upper edges of said web portions, and a lower flangeof substantiallyuniassume form thicknessfland welded to and coextensive withuthe lower edges of said web portions, said inner, intermediate and outer web portions being independent of one another to provide for'separate forming of the portions as sections to different shapes without waste of material.

4. A vehicle frame comprising, a pair of spaced parallel side rails, a pair of'ver'tically spaced parallel plates disposed centrally betweensaid sidetr'ails, azlplurality of I-beams disposed between said side rails and converging inwardly to"'said"pla'tes and'with-ea'ch I-beam comprising, an inner web portion disposed adjacent saidplates'and of generally forked shape at the inner end to provide for passage :of .-a vehicle' drive shaft there'through, an outer web portion of generally upwardly curved shape and disposed adjacent a side rail, at "least one intermediate web portion disposed between said inner and outer web portions and plates and a' side rail, and a lowerfian'g'eof substantially uniform thickness and welded to and coexten'siv'e withihe; lower edges of said web portions, and joining said plates and a side rail, said innergintermediate and outer-web portions being independent of one another to p'rov-i'de'for separate formingof the portions to .difierent shapes'without waste of material whilesubstantiallvmaintainin'g the strength of the structure.

References Cited in the lfile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

